Is Indonesian Islam too big to fail?

Syafiq Hasyim
Director of the International Center for Islam and Pluralism in Jakarta

Jakarta   /   Fri, June 9, 2017   /  11:44 am

This aerial view shows Indonesian Muslims gathering at Jakarta's National Monument Park as part of a rally against Jakarta's Christian Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known by his nickname Ahok, on December 2, 2016. More than 100,000 Indonesian Muslims protested on December 2 against Jakarta's Christian governor, the second major demonstration in a matter of weeks as conservative groups push for his arrest on accusations of insulting Islam. (AFP/File)

The above question is addressed to those who still believe in the strength of Indonesian Islam post-Jakarta gubernatorial election and the verdict of two years’ imprisonment handed down to Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, the outgoing Jakarta governor.

Indonesian Islam refers to Islam that is progressive, moderate and respectful of the diversity of ethnicities, beliefs and cultures that support democracy in the country.

For many years, local and international observers have felt confident about the authority of Indonesian Islam. The mushrooming of Islamic conservatism and radicalism has not been considered threatening enough to shrink the dominance of moderate and inclusive Islam.

The dominant role of the largest Islamic organizations, Nahdathul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, in Muslim communities is often used as reason for this optimism. Is this thesis still valid?

Indonesian Islam has been socially and politically attempted and strived for by those who believe in compatibility between Islam and democracy.

However, many elements of Indonesian Islam are too self-confident about the long supremacy of Indonesian Islam.

The source of this conviction is often the history of Islam’s entry to this country. It is often said Islam in Indonesia is different from Islam in the Middle East owing to its historical process, which was not through war and bloodshed but through peaceful penetration.

Thus, many of us take for granted and feel satisfied that the progressive and moderate characteristics of Indonesian Islam would never be defeated by the different version of Islam in this country.

Such historical evidence is very important, however not enough to maintain and sustain Indonesian Islam. It is questionable and to some extent no longer relevant.

Now, Indonesian Islam has begun to lose ground on account of an aggressive counter from “the different version of Islam” — stemming from the tendency of especially urban folks demanding an Islam that is more ideological, formalistic and operational in politics. More Indonesian Muslims want Islam as their main identity in politics, culture and lifestyle.

This tendency had been detected long before the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, although many of us apparently ignored it. Many attempts at “sharia-zation” (inclusion of sharia in the legal, political and public sphere) has run systematically and strategically since the Reform Era.

When attempts aimed to make Indonesia a sharia-based state failed in 2002, the strategy of the sharia movement turned into a cultural movement, by conditioning Indonesian Muslims to embrace more sharia-inspired lifestyles such as halal economics and consumption.

Indonesia now has the 2014 law on halal product assurance as well as the 2008 law on sharia banking.

The halal and sharia economic movement is a step further toward the establishment of sharia as the legal and political system. Its propagators use a direct connection strategy to the grass roots, including through social media.

Its messages stimulate emotions of being Muslim, including the social gap and injustice experienced by many Muslims.

At a different level, the propagators of Indonesian Islam are not really aware of and to some extent dismiss this new environment and contestation in coining the meaning of Islam. Such “progressive” Muslims seem to be ignorant and overconfident.

The NU and Muhammadiyah, which are expected to be bastions of moderate Indonesian Islam, have been too busy bargaining for power in the government, and care less for their communities.

In addition, both organizations rely heavily on the state for being the guardians of sustainability of democracy and benign Islam.

Sometimes, the NU is very critical of the antidemocratic movement, but theirs are often lone voices. In short, the consolidation of Indonesian Islam tends to indicate their failure.

Interestingly, those who need “more formalistic, ideological and political Islam” are intensively mingled with populist issues. They have shown adequate flexibility to blend their campaigns with issues of social and economic injustice.

Although religious sentiment remains very important for their movement, the groups have indicated their ability to consolidate networks and to gain a stronger grip on the Muslim grass roots.

Combining populism with identity based politics has been very successful, as indicated by two results; first, the loss of Ahok-Djarot Saiful Hidayat in the recent Jakarta election and second, their pressure on Ahok’s trial that resulted in a two-year sentence for blasphemy.

What should be done by Indonesian Islam to overcome this circumstance?

Indonesian Islam should not mimic the strategy used by those who believe in Islamic formalism, ideology and politics.

For instance, using populism as the tagline of its struggle would lead to tyranny by the majority. Indonesian Islam instead aims for reduced segregation between the majority and minority.

Indonesian Islam should not use identity politics because doing so could lead to discrimination. Unfortunately, reflecting on the recent Jakarta gubernatorial election, today’s Indonesian Muslims in general seem to love both populism and identity politics.

In fact, Ahok’s case has stimulated the sentiment of Islamic populism and identity politics. Indonesian Muslims who have been recognized as open and tolerant are becoming more ethnic and religion-oriented.

If Indonesian Islam does not want to fail in mainstreaming its religious discourse, it must find ideas and idioms that can regain cleverly and responsibly the support of Indonesian Muslims.

If not, the notion that Indonesian Islam is too big to fail is just a claim.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.

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